MANILA, Philippines — Ako Bicol party-list Representative Zaldy Co strongly denied accusations made by Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong regarding alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Co said the claims against him lack clear evidence, yet he feels he has already been unfairly judged. He also questioned the impartiality of Mayor Magalong if the latter would be included in the proposed independent commission that will investigate the controversy.
According to Co, it would be unjust to have a member of the commission who has already issued public accusations even before the probe officially begins.
Earlier, Magalong claimed that Co was not the highest-ranking official involved, suggesting that an even more senior figure could be linked to the questionable projects.
“They hesitate to name their mastermind, which they say is Zaldy Co. I don’t know why they are so afraid to mention his name,” Magalong said during a forum at Manila Hotel on September 10. He further hinted that the projects could not have pushed through without the approval of a higher authority, but declined to confirm when pressed by reporters if he was referring to House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
Meanwhile, the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), through its president Arsenio “Boy” Evangelista, criticized the ongoing legislative inquiries, saying they appear to be politically motivated and only serve to confuse the public.
“We see selective investigations. There’s a political agenda at play, especially in the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee. We’re witnessing how the public is being misled while taxpayer money is being wasted,” Evangelista said.
Adding to the discussion, controversial contractor Pacifico “Curlee” Discaya clarified in a House Committee on Infrastructure hearing that he never had direct dealings with either Co or Speaker Romualdez, despite their names being mentioned by some Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials and politicians.
“I want to make it clear—I never had any direct transactions with Representative Zaldy Co or Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Discaya stressed.
